What Was Found in the Ashes
by The Emcee
Summary: Life had never been kind to Faraday, but he had never thought that something like this would happen… Mentions of past rape. Vasquez/Faraday pre-slash


Title: What Was Found in the Ashes

Author: The Emcee

Rating: M for mature content

Pairing: Vasquez/Joshua Faraday

Summary: Life had never been kind to Faraday, but he had never thought that something like this would happen…

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the fandom.

A/N: I wrote another one. There are some dark themes in this one, so proceed with caution. And please check the tags so you know what you're in for. If you do read this, feel free to leave a comment in the towel section down below. Enjoy!

 **~…~**

 **What Was Found in the Ashes**

 **~…~**

Life had never been very kind to Joshua Faraday. That was something he had accepted long ago.

In the world he lived in, a world where someone was born an alpha, beta, or omega, things were tough for everyone who wasn't an alpha. Alphas were the top of the food chain, the big guys, the ones in charge, the ones who pulled all the strings and got the work done. Betas were in the middle, stuck between alphas and omegas, not as aggressive as alphas but not as submissive as omegas. Most people were betas, and Faraday considered them the lucky ones. Betas didn't go through ruts or heats; they just…were; able to be themselves and go with the follow if it suited them or go against the grain if they didn't agree with something. Yeah, betas had the best of both worlds.

And then there were omegas.

Omegas were submissive, push overs, dainty little things who begged to be fucked by a strong, surly alpha so that they could get pregnant and have children. They were weak and easily manipulated, often abused by alphas, and normally the ones that were sold into slavery or employed in the sex trade. At least, that was how the world saw them and, as such, that was how they were treated. In everyday life, omegas were just like everybody else, except that they would bear children no matter their gender and went into heats that only an alpha could help them with. Aside from that, omegas in small towns held jobs, raised families, and got into fights just like anybody else. They drank, smoke, and knew how to use guns.

Typically, someone who was an omega would experience their first heat around the age of sixteen; that was how they found out they were an omega. Alphas could go into ruts as early as thirteen; Faraday had seen it. Betas were truly blessed; they didn't go into ruts or heats, and didn't need an alpha or omega to find release. They could just be themselves and not be bothered by anything else.

By the age of sixteen, Joshua Faraday hadn't hit a rut, but he thankfully hadn't gone into heat. So, he figured he was a beta, and he could live with that. Being a beta meant that Faraday could be an ordinary, average, everyday Joe, and no one would expect him to be a leader and take charge or ask him to bend over and raise his ass in the air. Yeah, Faraday was living a pretty damn good life as a beta.

Life, however, seemed to enjoy screwing him over.

Not long after he turned eighteen, Faraday went into heat.

At first, it just felt as though he was really hot, like he was suffocating even though it hadn't felt that way in the saloon beforehand. Then, he felt an itch beneath his skin, one he couldn't get rid of, and that made him fidget constantly in his chair. As this continued, Faraday started feeling dizzy and there was a hazy that fell over his eyes, as though everything were in a blur. And for once in his life, he just wanted to be fucked by any guy he came across. And that was when the blood drained from his face. The reality of what was happening to him struck him like a damn rock to his head.

He was going into heat. In a saloon. Surrounded by alphas. While playing cards. With alphas. Alphas who were staring at him with expressions of shocked mixed with arousal and lust.

Faraday swallowed thickly, cleared his throat, and threw his cards down on the table with as much nonchalance as he could muster. He gave the guys at the table a weak grin that he knew fooled no one, told them that he was out and that they could keep his money this time (the first time he had ever said that to anyone), and got up to leave. Several chairs skidded out from the table and Faraday turned to the first alpha who dared to approach him, gun raised and pointed at his forehead.

Even though he was an omega, his skill with his guns hadn't left him. He was still a quick draw and deadly as hell. Being an omega wasn't going to take that from him; those were skills he had earned all on his own and he was going to keep them.

"Don't even think about it," Faraday said in a low, threatening tone. He wasn't a push over. He wasn't a typical omega who only ever desired an alpha's knot to get him through the day. That wasn't a game he wanted to play right now. "I'll be takin' my leave now. If anyone tries to stop me, I'll put a bullet in their head."

Alphas may have been naturally bigger and stronger than omegas and they may be the top of the food chain, but Faraday had a reputation and no one was willing to test him. At least, that was what he was hoping for. Cautiously, with Ethel raised and his eyes darting back and forth like a caged animal, Faraday made his way out of the saloon.

Once he was outside, he took a deep breath. Though the tension in his body didn't entirely ebb away, he felt better once he was outside in the cool night air. Putting his hat on his head and Ethel back in her holster, Faraday began to walk off of the saloon's porch. He was lighting up a cigarette when something hard and blunt was smacked against his head and he was knocked out.

When he woke up, Faraday didn't know how much time had passed. All he knew was that he had a major headache and that his body felt stiff and sore. Slowly, he began to take in his surroundings. He was on an empty cart in a dark alleyway. It was still dark and he had no idea what time it was. Ethel and Maria were still in their holsters and his hat had fallen off of his head and onto the cart. His fever was gone, he no longer felt dizzy and he could see clearly, and the itch was gone. That confused him until he tried to sit up.

A sharp pain shot up from his nether regions up his body and he hissed loudly at the pain. Looking down, all of the color drained from his face. His pants were tugged down, there was blood that was beginning to dry and cake on his thighs, and he could feel it on his ass as well. And there was the smell of cum.

Closing his eyes, Faraday leaned back and sighed heavily. Bringing his hands up to his face, he noticed they were shaking badly. He didn't need to say or think what had happened; he knew with every fiber of his being. His chest began to rise and fall rapidly as he panted and heaved, close to throwing up but unable to. A strangled, choked sob escaped him and it took him quite some time to calm down.

With hands still shaking, Faraday stood up, hissing and wincing at the pain every step took to make, pulled up his trousers, collected his hat, and made his way to his horse. Slowly, fighting down the pain and disgust with every minute move, he made it up on Jack's back and made his way out of that town like a bat out of hell.

 **~…~**

Years passed.

Faraday did his best to hide what he was, opting to remain in a drunken stupor as much as possible. He learned to ride and shot just as well when he was drunk as he was when he was sober. Alcohol became his best friend. It helped him forget, and it kept the nightmares away. For the most part.

Whenever he felt his heat coming on, Faraday would leave whatever shithole town he was in and find a secluded place to suffer through it. Whether it was an abandoned house that he was lucky enough to stumble upon or a secluded section of woods or outcropping of rocks. Or a mine shaft. That only happened once, thankfully. One thing Faraday was grateful for was that his heats didn't have a pattern; they didn't happen every month as they did with normal omegas. His were sporadic and random. He could go months without having one, but when it hit, it was bad and seemingly lasted forever.

He hated being what he was. He hated his heats. He hated the omegas who sought out alphas and enjoyed their heats and found a stable partner and had a family and a home. And he hated alphas.

The only thing that seemed to help was alcohol, so he drank as often and as much as he could. That required money. And, unfortunately, Faraday wasn't the type of hold down a stable and steady job. He liked to roam, to be free. So, swindling alphas out of their money was his preferred way of earning a living. Granted, he could have done a number of other things to earn cash, but alphas were the ones who often played cards or dice in the saloons. And when he was about to go into heat and the alphas he played against were drunk enough, they were easy prey. They owed it to him; that was how he saw it.

Unfortunately, he had gotten too cocky and arrogant and ended up losing his horse, Jack, in one of those games to a leprechaun.

That left him stuck between a rock and a hard place. Faraday needed his horse; it was the closest thing to family he had, and it helped him get away when his heats were fast approaching. With Jack in possession of a stubborn leprechaun, Faraday had no choice but to remain in town and try to swindle as much money as he could, which wasn't a good thing. It hadn't arrived yet, but his heat was on its way.

Months had passed since his last one, and although his heats were always random and unpredictable, Faraday knew when it was on its way. He could always tell a few weeks in advance. His instincts knew, and he was always one to trust his instincts. They hadn't steered him wrong before.

That was when Sam Chisolm strode into the saloon.

There was no doubt that Sam was an alpha. It was in his body language and the way he carried himself. And it was in his scent. Alphas always had a scent about them that clearly identified them as what they were, just like omegas. That was another reason why Faraday drank so much; the scent of booze covered his omega scent very well.

But something about Sam caught Faraday's eye. He wasn't like other alphas. There was something different about him. Faraday didn't know what it was, but it piqued his interest. There weren't many alphas who were black in these parts. Folks didn't take to kindly to them. Perhaps they were more accepting in the east, but that wasn't the case here. Here, Sam was a misfit. Just like Faraday.

Faraday watched intently as Sam whispered into the barkeep's ear. He didn't know what it was about this man, but Faraday had a feeling about him. When he watched as the man drew his gun and shot the other patrons of the saloon and then the barkeep, Faraday could honestly say he was impressed. There were numerous men who had guns and could shoot, but not many were as quick as Faraday and, apparently, Sam Chisolm.

"Is that man dead?" Faraday asked when everyone scurried out of the saloon. Sam stared at him, studied him, his gaze seemed to be peering into his soul, as though he were sizing Faraday up.

"What a pity. I had just ordered a drink from him," Faraday finished. He cracked a smile when Sam slid the drink he had poured down the bar toward him.

Once the man had stepped out of the building, Faraday gathered up the money on the table, not enough to buy Jack back but almost there, picked up a liquor bottle, and left. His run in with the two beta brothers he had played cards with a few days prior, a game that he won fair and square might he add, had been less than pleasant. Faraday genuinely hadn't wanted to kill the taller one, but when they tried to get him into that mine shaft… Well, that had brought up too many bad memories for him to count, memories he'd rather forget.

Still shaken, he went to see about his horse, and that's when he crossed paths with Sam Chisolm yet again. He was only half surprised when the man approached him, with a beta male and an alpha female in tow. Strange, he had thought at the time. There weren't many alpha females around these parts either. But who was he to judge?

"How much for the horse?" Sam asked and Faraday stared up at the man. He had a feeling that this man wanted something, and he was hesitant to ask what it was that he wanted. Usually, when an alpha wanted something, it wasn't something good.

"That's my horse, y'know," Faraday stated simply before turning back to the leprechaun.

"Mine now. But I'll let you work for 'im," Sam told him. Faraday barked out a laugh.

"What kind of work?" Faraday asked.

"I'm fixing to build a group for battle," Sam said.

"How many you got?"

"Two."

"Them?" Faraday said.

"You and me," Sam replied matter-of-factly. Like Faraday had already agreed. He supposed he had, not that he had much of a choice really.

"Alright," Faraday said.

What else was there to say? He needed his horse and that was what he had to do to get him back. Faraday was many things, but he always worked for what he had, in a manner of speaking. And if fighting a war that wasn't his own was what would pay off his horse, then he'd do it.

Just before Faraday and Teddy took off to seek out Goodnight Robicheaux, Sam stopped him. The pair of them rode up just a little bit ahead of Teddy and Emma. Faraday looked at Sam, confused. He didn't get what the alpha wanted to speak to him separately about. Everything was pretty straightforward as far as he was concerned, and he didn't think that Emma should be kept out of the loop seeing as how she was the one who hired them.

"Just to let you know, you're secret's safe with me," Sam told him without any leeway. Faraday felt his blood run cold, but he tried to play it cool.

"What secret? I'm an open book," Faraday said.

"Sure you are. And to most people, the smell of alcohol can mask an omega's scent," Sam responded. Faraday gazed at Sam with slightly narrowed eyes, though his grin never faded.

"I'm not an omega," was all he said.

"And I'm not black," Sam retorted. He turned back and gestured for Teddy and Emma to come forward. Then he met Faraday's gaze and added, "You be careful until you meet up with Goodnight. Ya hear me?"

With that, Sam and Emma took off. Faraday watched them ride for a moment before he and Teddy did the same.

Faraday pondered Sam's words until he found Goodnight. The legendary man was lounging casually on a fence while a contest was going on. Both he and Teddy watched the proceedings and Faraday was once again impressed, but this time it was by the Asian beta in the ring who just killed a man with a hairpin. That was something one didn't see every day.

Once the whole thing was over and Goodnight started collecting his winnings, Faraday made his move. He wasn't entirely expecting what he got with Goodnight. For one, he was shorter than anticipated, but Faraday wasn't stupid enough to say that out loud. Short or not, Goodnight was still lethal with a gun. That was probably why Sam wanted him so badly.

"You Goodnight Robicheaux?" Faraday asked. When Goodnight seemed to ignore him, he added, "Sam Chisolm sent me. You heard a him?"

He finally had his attention. It wasn't long after that that he, Goodnight, Billy, and Teddy were heading out to meet up with Sam. Faraday liked Goodnight, and Billy too. They were both betas, a fact that actually surprised him a bit. For all of the talk he had heard about the man, Faraday figured Goodnight would be an alpha, and yet, he wasn't. Goodnight was easy to talk to, and while Billy was a bit hard to get a feel for, Faraday found that the man was likeable enough too, almost as pleasant to talk to as Goodnight.

After a day and a half of riding, they finally met up with Sam, and he had a new friend with him. Faraday knew that Sam was going to recruit someone when they split up, he just didn't know it'd be another alpha. A Mexican alpha. A rather handsome Mexican alpha. Slowing down his horse and taking a deep drink from his flask, Faraday forced himself to relax. The feeling of butterflies in his stomach was just his oncoming heat and nothing else. It had nothing to do with this new alpha, nothing at all.

"Oh, good, we got ourselves a Mexican," he said before dismounting his horse.

The look he received could've frozen over a lake of fire. But that was what he wanted. Faraday didn't need to feel drawn to an alpha when his heat was so close; granted, he didn't want to feel drawn to an alpha period. Alphas in the past had never proven to be admirable, to say the least. And even if this one was different, which Faraday doubted, it wasn't as though Faraday was a normal omega or wanted what omegas usually tended to want.

But Faraday had to admit that he was cute.

 **~…~**

Faraday was screwed.

After Sam and the gang brought Jack Horne and Red Harvest into their ranks, both of them alphas of course, they arrived at Rose Creek. During his time with the merry band of misfits, Faraday had tried his damnedest to ignore the pull he felt to Vasquez. He blamed his damn upcoming heat on his attraction and desire for the alpha. If he wasn't an omega, he wouldn't be feeling this way.

And yet, Faraday couldn't help but make quips and jabs at Vasquez. He didn't want to be drawn to him and yet he couldn't help himself. Instead of being smart and trying to ignore Vasquez's very existence, he antagonized him and started pointless arguments, much like a kid would on his crush. And Vasquez seemed both annoyed and amused at the shit Faraday spewed from his mouth. He returned the insults and jibs and seemed to enjoy…whatever it was going on between them.

During the nights before they arrived at Rose Creek, Faraday would find himself sneaking peaks at Vasquez, watching him while he sat quietly by the fire and ate or while he slept. As much as he didn't want to be, Faraday couldn't lie to himself and say he wasn't intrigued by Vasquez.

While the man was an alpha and obviously so, he wasn't as assertive as alphas tended to be. He wasn't as forceful or demanding and he didn't expect anything from anyone. He took care of himself and only himself. And he was strong and good with his guns, but he didn't brag or boast about it. Vasquez was different and Faraday liked that.

Granted, Jack wasn't a typical alpha either. He was a religious man who gave God all of the credit for his strength. Red Harvest was quiet, kept to himself, but he was lethal and a deadly warrior. Both of them were not normal alphas, just like Sam, but none of them drew in his attention like Vasquez did. Again, that was because there was just something different about Vasquez.

However, Faraday didn't know up far up shit creek he was until they had reached Rose Creek.

The seven of them usually ate dinner together and often worked together to get things ready for the battle. That was all well and good; Faraday could deal with that. It was the sleeping arrangements that he had an issue with. Red Harvest slept outside, far more comfortable sleeping on the ground or on a roof or wherever he slept than inside. Jack had his own room as did Sam, the lucky bastards. Goodnight and Billy shared a room, and Faraday didn't need to guess as to why. Due to limited space though, he was forced to bunk with Vasquez.

On one hand, Faraday was fine with it because it meant that he could spend more time with the man. But on the other hand, the hand that mattered more and had more sway than the former one, it was a bad idea and he hated it. Being so close to someone he finally felt _something_ was torturous and not good for him. It made him actually long for his heat when he wasn't in his right frame of mind and it took all Faraday had to squash that deep down inside of him. And just because Vasquez wasn't like other alphas Faraday had encountered didn't mean he wouldn't behave like them if he was near Faraday when his heat kicked in.

No, Faraday had only ever experienced his heat with an alpha once, and he hadn't been conscious while it had happened. Hell, he hadn't even been willing! Being with an alpha wasn't high on his to do list, no matter how attractive or enticing the alpha was.

Hence why he was screwed.

Faraday was fighting an internal war. He didn't want to be anywhere near Vasquez, didn't want to think about him, didn't want to look at him, didn't want anything to do with him. Yet the very thought of not being around him or looking or speaking to him was soul crushing and going against what his instincts were telling him. And trying to play it cool was hard as hell. Most of the time, Faraday was concentrating so hard on keeping himself under control that he wasn't paying attention to anything else, which was a problem. It was noticeable too, because Sam had asked him about it.

"Faraday, is everything okay?" Sam said, giving Faraday an analytical stare. Faraday tried to be calm and relaxed, but he knew Sam noticed how tense and tightly wound he was.

"So far, so good," Faraday replied. Sam's gaze seemed to penetrate into his very soul and it made Faraday feel exposed and vulnerable. After a few minutes, the alpha spoke again.

"Whatever happened to you is none of my business, and while I haven't known Vasquez for very long, I know he wouldn't do anything to harm you," Sam said. "That's not his way." Faraday released a laugh that sounded more like a huff.

"Because he genuinely cares or because he's got a soft spot for 'megas?" Faraday quipped, sounding harsher than he had intended, but he didn't apologize for it. He just hoped that no one was listening in on their conversation. As far as he knew, Sam was the only one who knew what he really was and he wanted to keep it that way.

"Just thought I'd say my piece. Mainly wanted to make sure you'll be okay for tomorrow," Sam said before walking off.

Sam was probably shaken up by Goodnight's departure just an hour beforehand. He wanted to make sure the ones that were staying were mentally prepared for the battle ahead of them. Faraday would make sure he was ready. After all, he had a horse he had to pay for.

 **~…~**

"Shit, shit, shit, shit," Faraday said under his breath as he ran toward the church.

The battle was in full swing now and while they had managed to take out half of Bogue's forces, there were still the remaining forces they had to deal with. Everything was in chaos around them. Fires were burning, bodies were scattered everywhere, men were screaming in pant or running or limping, horses with no riders tore around the town, and gun shots were resounding all around him.

Worst of all though, his heat had started right before the beginning of the battle and Faraday didn't have the option to run away and wait it out. He had a job to do and he was going to do it, even though it was pure, unadulterated torture. Though he did have to admit that his heat was causing a lot of confusion among the alphas in Bogue's forces. However, the same could be said for his side as well. The only good thing about the day so far was that he had blown something up. Now that had put a genuine smile on his face.

Sweating and panting, with his asshole leaking slick and his minding screaming for an alpha, Faraday continued to run towards the church. Men ran past them, some of them sniffing the air, but most of them were more preoccupied with not dying. Billy didn't seem to notice his heat. Neither did Jack, who was busy helping Teddy with his hurt leg.

A familiar voice was shouting at people to get inside the church. Looking up, Faraday saw Vasquez standing in the doorway of the building, yelling and ushering people quickly inside. Their eyes met, brown and blue, and Faraday felt his body surging forward to the alpha, his alpha. But before he could reach him, he felt something graze his right side and then a pain seared through him.

Faraday fell onto the ground, hissing in pain. The hand that had been pressed against his side was pulled away and he saw blood on it. Great, he was hurt. How could he be so careless? If he wasn't in heat, he would've been more careful. Before he could continue mentally berating himself, a shadow was cast upon him. Looking up, Faraday saw McCann, Bogue's right hand man, the one Goodnight had let slip through his fingers.

And there was a familiar glint in his eyes, a glint that Faraday couldn't forget no matter how hard he tried.

McCann was an alpha and he knew Faraday was in heat. Faraday tried to back away, but he back hit something and he couldn't. His legs didn't seem to want to work and all he could do was gaze up at the man in horror as he approached.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" McCann said softly, his chest rising and falling with each heavy breath. His eyes were dilated and there was an obvious tent in his pants.

"Leave me alone," Faraday said, trying to sound intimidating. Instead, he sounded meek and fearful.

"Hush, now. This is what you omegas were made for," McCann said as he undid his pants. Pulling them down enough to pull his erection cock free, he approached Faraday and started to crouch down.

"No," Faraday said and he tried once again to get away, only to be stuck between a wooden coffin and McCann. He held his hands up in a feeble attempt to shield himself and shut his eyes tight.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. After a moment, Faraday peeked through his hands and gazed up at McCann. To his shock and relief, McCann's cock had been shot off. The man didn't have time to completely register that his appendage was missing because Vasquez was stalking over to him, firing his guns off one by one, emptying them into McCann's body until the man stumbled and fell into the empty coffin beside Faraday.

With a deep frown and anger still blazing in his eyes, Vasquez bent down and offered Faraday a hand up. Heaving softly and still shocked by everything that had just happened, he silently took the offered hand. Time seemed to slow down beside them as Vasquez ushered him into the church.

"Are you okay, guero? Vasquez asked him softly. All Faraday could do was nod numbly. Vasquez seemed worried but didn't say anything as they entered the church. He shoved Faraday down low and then took shelter himself.

That was when the Gatling gun began to rain fire upon them. Faraday ducked down and did his best to lay low. He watched as the men around him screamed in fear and pain, as some of them died before his eyes, and he watched as Vasquez was hit in the arm. Nothing too serious, thankfully, but seeing the brief flash of pain on the alpha's face brought him out of his numb stupor.

Blinking rapidly a few times, it was as though Faraday was suddenly seeing the world around him, the battle that he was a part of but had seemed so detached from until now. Screams that sounded more like children's than grown men began to flood into the church and Faraday risked a glance outside of the window to see the building the children were hiding in was on fire.

"The kids!" Faraday yelled and he got up to run to them. How he managed to avoid shots from the devil's gun he didn't know, but he had. He made it to the building the same time as Sam did.

"We gotta get the kids outta here," Faraday told him.

Together, the pair of them managed to get the women and children out of their hiding place and urged them to the ridge point, where they'd be safest. The two of them crouched down outside once that task was over and they could focus on the battle again.

"Sam, we gotta do somethin' about that gun," Faraday told him. Sam turns to him to agree and sees the blood on his clothes.

"Y'know, you've paid your horse off," Sam said. Faraday blinked at him, startled at the abrupt change of subject.

"What?" was all Faraday could ask.

"Your horse. You paid it off. You don't owe me anymore," Sam stated. Faraday barely heard him as an idea formed in his head.

"Yeah, well, you owe me," Faraday said. He got his guns ready and sat up a bit, ready to take off.

"What's that?" Sam asked him.

"Cover," and with that, Faraday was running.

With as must gusto as he could muster, he ran to Jack and mounted him. He urged his horse forward to the Gatling gun, shots going off all around him. Some aiming for him, others aiming at the enemy. Faraday watched as the gun was aims for the steeple of the church and he hoped for a brief moment that Goodnight and Billy would be spared.

As he neared the gun and the men around it, Faraday found himself being shot at not for the first time in his life. He felt a shot hit his upper thigh, and though it hurt, he kept charging on. Another shot hit his left arm and the force of it was enough to knock him off of Jack's back. Thankfully, when he fell, he was close enough to the gun. Nearby was an abandoned wooden wagon that one of the townsfolk had left behind in the chaos.

He tried to stand up, but he had to use the wagon to get any ground. Sighing softly, Faraday pulled out a cigar and tried to light it. Unfortunately, his damn matches were soaked with his own blood. Still, he continued to try lighting one, hardly noticing the alpha that was approaching him. Only when his cigar was lit did Faraday look up at the man, who had an eye patch covering his left eye. Cocking his gun, he aimed it for Faraday's head. Feeling weak and exhausted and lightheaded, Faraday felt his body begin to fall forward, stopping when he was half hunched over, his right arm still propped on the wagon for support.

With eyes closed, Faraday listened to the alpha walking away. He listened to the other men chat amongst themselves as they began to reload the gun. Hoping he was hidden well enough to not be seen, he took a stick of dynamite out of his pocket and used the cigar to light it. Then, he straightened himself up and chucked the stick at the wagon.

Quickly, he ducked down beside the wagon, hoping it would provide him enough cover. He heard men shout, the dynamite exploded, and Faraday was flung away with the wagon. The last thing he could remember was being propelled backward into the air and then everything around him faded to black.

 **~…~**

He was shrouded in darkness. No matter which way he turned to look, all he could see was a thick blackness. He couldn't even feel his body. Was he still alive? Was he dead? Is this what was waiting for people when they died, darkness? Is this how he was going to spend his afterlife?

For someone who was dead, he was so exhausted.

 **~…~**

When he opened his eyes, he was blinded by light. Did this mean that he had been accepted into Heaven? Is that what the bright light was? His vision was blurry and he could hardly make anything out past the bright light. Vaguely, he thought he saw Sam's face, but he wasn't sure. And he could have sworn that he had heard Vasquez's voice.

His eyes closed and he was swallowed by the darkness again.

 **~…~**

His body felt heavy, so unbelievably heavy. Has it always felt like this? Faraday didn't know; he couldn't really remember. All he knew for sure was that he felt stiff and sore and that his body ached all over. Was he dead or alive? He sure as hell didn't feel dead, but that could just be his mind playing tricks on him.

Faraday heard himself groan and his voice sounded gravelly and dry, as though he hadn't used it in weeks. Opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was the wooden roof of the room he was in. He didn't know where he was, what time it was, or what day it was. Hell, he couldn't even say for sure that he was alive. Given how much his body was aching and throbbing in pain, he kind of wished he was dead.

"Ah, I see our sleepin' beauty has awoken from his slumber," said a Cajun voice from beside him. Faraday turned his head to the right, a move that shouldn't have been as exhausting as it was.

"Goodnight," he managed to huff out. Just saying the man's name left him breathless and thirsty, oh, so thirsty. Thankfully, the man took notice and offered him a glass of water. When Faraday couldn't lift his arm high enough to grab it, Goodnight chuckled softly and brought the cup to Faraday's lips.

"Lift your head now, son. That's it. Take small, slow sips. You don't wanna get sick now, do ya?" Goodnight spoke to him as he drank. When he had finished, Goodnight set the glass down and sat back down in the wooden chair. That was when Faraday noticed the bandage around Goodnight's right thigh.

"Am I dead?" he asked. Goodnight laughed loudly.

"If you're dead, Faraday, so am I. And so is Billy, and Sam, and Jack, and Vasquez-"

"Is Vasquez okay?" Faraday cut him off. "I saw him get shot. Is he still alive?" Goodnight smiled at him in an understanding way.

"Calm down, lover boy. Your alpha is doing just fine. His arm is still attached. He's outside, helping the good ol' people of Rose Creek repair their buildings," Goodnight explained, leaning back in his chair.

Faraday felt himself relax. He sank back into the pillow on his bed and hissed in pain when he moved his leg.

"Careful now. You may be awake and out of the woods, but your body still needs time to mend, son," Goodnight told him.

"How long was I out?" Faraday said softly.

"Two weeks or so. You miraculously survived your little explosion stunt with just a broken arm and some cuts and bruises," Goodnight answered. "But those along with your gunshot wounds drew a lotta blood from you. For a good while, we were afraid we'd lose you."

Faraday looked over at Goodnight. His smile was gone and his eyes were serious. The man looked far more exhausted and older than he had ever seen him. Looking at him now, Faraday felt a twinge of remorse for pushing the guy the way he did before the battle. Having his own demons, he should've been more understanding. Goodnight met his gaze and nodded, a silent exchange being passed between them.

"I'm glad we didn't," Goodnight said softly.

The door opened and Billy walked in. He looked better off than Goodnight, but there was a slight limp to his walk. Billy's eyes lit up ever so slightly when he saw that Faraday was awake.

"Glad to see you awake," Billy said. He looked down at Goodnight. "How's your leg?"

"Oh, just fine and dandy. Playin' babysitter is helpin' it along just fine," Goodnight answered. The look they shared made Faraday feel as though he were witness something very intimate and it made him feel a bit like an outsider. "Billy, would you fetch Jack and tell him Faraday's awake. He's been wantin' to look him over for a week."

"You mean since he found the doctor drunk at the bar?" Billy asked. Goodnight chuckled softly and nodded.

"Yeah, our good doctor didn't earn any points with our favorite bear when he pulled that stunt, did he? 'Sides, I'd feel better having Jack look him over myself," Goodnight said.

"I'm lyin' right here, y'know," Faraday grumbled.

"We're aware," Goodnight said with a grin.

"We just prefer to ignore you from time to time," Billy said. Faraday pouted and went to move his arm but hissed when pain shot through him.

"And that would be my cue," Billy said and he headed towards the door.

"Be swift, my friend. Jack will be livid if Faraday breaks his arm any further," Goodnight called as Billy left, closing the door behind him.

Not long after that, Jack came into the room. He was looking good for a man who took four arrows to his body. Proof that Jack Horne wasn't one to be taken lightly. After his initial relief at Faraday finally being awake, he looked him over, examining his wounds and his broken arm, talking softly, muttering about careless, unprofessional doctors. When he was satisfied with how Faraday was healing, he stood up and finally spoke to the omega directly.

"You really had us worried, son. But it looks like you'll be fine. How are ya feelin'?" Jack said.

"I get real tired every time I move my head. But so far, so good," Faraday said, flashing a half-assed smile. Jack nodded and gave him a smile in return.

"Well, you're still on the mend, but after plenty of rest, you'll be fine, I think," Jack said. He turned to Goodnight and asked, "Does Sam know he's awake?"

Before Goodnight could answer, the door opened, revealing Sam, Red Harvest, Vasquez, Teddy, and Emma. Sam's body relaxed a bit when he saw that Faraday was awake. Jack moved to stand partially in the doorway.

"He just woke up, so don't crowd 'im. One at a time 'til he starts nodding off, then y'all can come back another time," he ordered. They all regarded the man, each of them knowing Jack meant what he said.

"I'm glad to see you're awake, Mr. Faraday," Emma said before she left.

"Same here, Mr. Faraday," was all Teddy said before following after her. Sam strode into the room and approached Faraday's bed.

"Glad to see you awake, Faraday," Sam said. "That stunt you pulled…I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it."

"Well, I'll take that as a compliment," Faraday said.

"Get plenty of rest. I imagine you'll be up and walking around in no time," Sam commented, turning to look at Jack as he spoke. The older man nodded at him in silent confirmation.

"I doubt I'll be allowed to get up and out of bed for a little while yet," Faraday said.

"Not for a little while, son," Jack affirmed.

"I just wanted to see for myself that you were okay. Now, I gotta get back. There's more than enough work to be done," Sam said before he left. Red Harvest entered next, carrying a bag with him. He unceremoniously plopped it down into Faraday's lap.

"What's that?" Faraday asked, half afraid and half intrigued.

"Food," Red Harvest replied. "You need strength. White men's food will not give you what you need." Faraday opened the bag and saw what he hoped was jerky. From what animal or animals it came from he didn't know and he wasn't going to ask. Instead, he nodded toward the Comanche in gratitude.

"Thank you," he said. Red Harvest nodded and left without saying anything else.

That left Vasquez, who entered slowly, his dark eyes transfixed on Faraday as though he had seen a corpse rise from the dead. Billy, Goodnight, and Jack left the room, leaving them alone together.

"Glad to see you're okay," Faraday told him, nodding his head towards the arm that had been shot.

"That was nothing," Vasquez told him. Faraday nodded.

Being alone in the room with the alpha felt awkward, almost painfully so, but he was grateful to see that Vasquez really was doing well. Watching as the man pulled the chair Goodnight had been occupying up to the bed and sitting down on it, it hit Faraday just how much he had missed him. Seeing him in the flesh filled Faraday with a sense of relief. His body finally relaxed and for that, he was grateful.

"You could've killed yourself, cabron," Vasquez told him.

"Yeah, well, that gun had to go," Faraday said. "That was all I could think of at the time."

"You might want to be careful with stunts like that. Your luck may run out," Vasquez said.

"I'm Irish. We have unlimited luck," Faraday retorted. Vasquez snorted.

"No one's luck is unlimited, guero," he responded. Silence fell upon them for some time. Faraday didn't know what to say and, in all honesty, he was just enjoying the alpha's company. Part of him wondered if it was possible to miss a person even when your unconscious for extended periods of time. Because he was pretty sure he missed Vasquez.

"I hear you're a regular handy man," Faraday finally broke the silence. Vasquez merely shrugged.

"Work keeps you busy," was all Vasquez said.

"I bet you're good with your hands," Faraday said with a chuckle that turned into a coughing fit. Vasquez stood up.

"Time for rest," Vasquez told him and turned to go. Faraday stopped.

"Wait," he said softly. Vasquez turned back to him. Faraday licked his lips and added, "Stay with me?" He sounded so weak and frail to his own ears, but if Vasquez thought so, he didn't say.

Instead, he sat back down and chewed on a cigar. Faraday turned and gazed up at the ceiling. He listened to Vasquez, to his breathing, his soft chewing, the occasional shuffle of his boots on the wooden floor. Without realizing it, Faraday fell asleep to the sounds of the alpha by his side.

 **~…~**

"He sat by your side most of the time," Goodnight told Faraday a week and a half after he woke up.

Finally, he was out of that bed and walking around. His legs felt weak from not being used. Actually, his entire body felt weak and he had damn near fallen flat on his face half a dozen times by now. But he was glad to be out of that bed. A change of scenery was warranted. Remaining in that bed for days on end with nothing to do had been driving him mad.

As he was regaining his bearings, Faraday was partnered up with Goodnight, who was doing light work in the church. Before Faraday was out of bed, the church had been repaired, gutted, cleaned out, and now, they were putting the pews back inside. Nothing too bad and, aside from kitchen duty or mending clothes or some other crap that Faraday would never be good at despite being an omega, he was glad to be of use in some way and with something he actually knew how to do.

"Who did?" Faraday asked as he positioned his end of the pew into its proper place. He had a feeling who Goodnight was talking about, but playing dumb had always worked well for him in the past.

"Vasquez. Before Sam told him to help with the repairs, he was by your side most days. Wouldn't leave for anythin', not even food. He was losin' his damn mind with worry," Goodnight answered.

"Oh," was all Faraday said. What else could he say, really? Knowing that Vasquez had been with him a good bit while he was knocked out brought those butterflies back to his stomach. But this time, he wasn't entirely against them. The feeling was rather pleasant as a matter of fact.

"We know what he did, shootin' McCann's pecker off," Goodnight continued. "The bastard deserved it, tryin' t' rape an omega like yourself in the midst of battle. It's dishonorable."

Faraday dropped the pew and straightened up, his entire body tense and rigid. His eyes were wide and he suddenly felt cold. As his mind began running a mile a minute, Goodnight gently placed a hand on his shoulder and sighed softly.

"Calm down, son. Only the seven of us know," Goodnight reassured.

"A-all of you?" Faraday managed to get out past his shock.

"Yes. And so what if you are what you are? That makes no difference to any of us. But, that does explain the mass confusion during the battle," Goodnight said. He met Faraday's gaze and finished with, "None of us are going to cast you out, Joshua. You're one of us, and that's not somethin' we do. Ya understand?"

Goodnight held his gaze until Faraday nodded. The sincerity and compassion in Goodnight's eyes quelled his fear and anxiety and he felt the tension leave his body. With a small, soft smile, Goodnight patted his shoulder before his hand fell away.

"Life has not been kind of any of us, Faraday," Goodnight said, carrying on the conversation. Faraday listened as they started working again.

"Most of us in our merry band have been through hell and back. So, we all know how it is to feel like you're the only one you can depend on and trust. It's nice, knowin' things don't have to be that way anymore," Goodnight finished.

The conversation died down after that, and Faraday was left with Goodnight's words constantly running through his mind. Hours passed by and before either of them knew it, they were done and it was supper time. Making their way to the saloon, they were met with Billy and Vasquez standing outside. Judging by the voices coming from inside, the others were seated at the table and already eating.

"You okay, guero?" Vasquez asked him. Faraday nodded.

"Doin' just fine," he replied.

"Don't you worry none, my friend. I've been watchin' over him like a hawk," Goodnight said.

Vasquez nodded and they quickly joined the rest of their group. Faraday was worried that the others would look at him in a weird way now, or silently judge him or something. But they did none of that. In fact, it was as though nothing had changed. They talked, laughed, and carried on like they did before the battle. It all felt normal, and normal was what he needed right now.

 **~…~**

"I, uh, heard you kept me company a lot while I was out," Faraday said in the darkness of their shared room. He knew Vasquez was awake. The man usually snored softly when he was sleeping, and he definitely hadn't been snoring at all.

"What of it, guero?" Vasquez replied. Faraday swallowed thickly before speaking.

"Why?" was all he asked. There was a moment of silence before he heard a sigh.

"I…wanted to make sure you were okay, is all," Vasquez answered. Faraday felt himself deflate just a little. He didn't know what answer he had been anticipating, but it hadn't been that.

"You're different from most omegas," Vasquez said after a long time.

"What makes you say that?" Faraday asked.

"Because you are. Most omegas fawn and drool over alphas and want kids and families and all of that," Vasquez told him. "But you…you're not that way. You treated me like a person, not like an alpha."

"Yeah, well…" Faraday began and then stopped. He thought for a second before he finished. "You treat me like a human being instead of a piece of property. No one's ever done that."

Neither of them said anything for a while. They let a comfortable silence fall upon them and Faraday was glad he was no longer alone in a room that smelled of dried blood and sweat and was instead back with Vasquez, in their own room. He had missed sleeping with the man nearby. Faraday was almost asleep when he broke the silence once again.

"Thank you for shootin' McCann's dick off for me," he all but mumbled. Before sleep claimed him, he heard Vasquez chuckle softly and respond with, "Anytime, guero."

 **~…~**

 **The End**

 **~…~**

A/N: I plan on writing a sequel to this with smut included. I don't know when I'll get around to writing it, but I will do so. Thank you for reading!


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